Zuko glared up at the ceiling in his new room from the position on his bed. After talking with Azula, he actually had searched the palace this time, wanting to be alone. He had quickly realized that this was impossible however; there were Dai Li guards everywhere. So, instead of opting for an obvious room on the main corridor leading up to the throne room, Zuko chose a smaller, more modest room just off the corridor.

It was no suite by any means, but it would do. Anyway, he had chosen it for privacy not comfort. That wasn't to say that it wasn't comfortable. It certainly was, with its soft mattress on the bed and small cupboard.

Lets face it…anything would seem comfortable after three years on a ship, Zuko thought, still looking up to the ceiling, a frown on his face.

He wasn't sure how he felt right now. Well, he'd never been exactly in touch with his feelings, the only one he had displayed for a couple of years being anger, but a new emotion was stirring inside of him.

Seeing his uncle and those girls locked away in a cell that he wouldn't befit a pig had touched him somehow. He didn't understand if it was pity or guilt, but whatever it was, Zuko didn't like it. Emotion is weakness, he reminded himself for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

Give it up, his conscience scoffed, if the Fire Lord couldn't get you to believe that 'emotion is weakness', do you really think you can get yourself to?

Zuko clenched his jaw in frustration.

"What's the point of quiet time when the only thing bothering me is inside my own head?" He muttered.

You'd miss me if I were gone, his conscience replied. Zuko could imagine the epitome of his conscience pouting.

"Why would I miss you? You've never been there when I needed you."

I have so! The conscience said, sounding hurt for some reason.

This was Zuko's turn to scoff. It didn't occur to him that he was having a conversation with what was quite possibly a figment of his imagination.

"Lets see. You weren't there in the War Chamber when I spoke up against my father. You weren't there when I captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You weren't there-"

Fine. I admit you have a point.

"I have several points." Zuko corrected smugly.

The voice didn't reply. In fact, he didn't hear from his conscience for the rest of that day. It was a nice, relaxing time for Zuko.

So relaxing, in fact, that he began to appreciate the soft texture of the mattress. Laying into the pillows some more, Zuko's eyelids began to drop. He didn't bother even trying to stay awake. It had been a tough couple of…well, years and he deserved a good night's sleep that wouldn't be disturbed.

A few hours later

There was a loud knock at Zuko's door, followed by another. The knocks were irritable, and Zuko jerked awake immediately. Scanning his surroundings tetchily, he realized that it was now night. How long he had been asleep for, he didn't know.

There was another pound on the door.

For Agni's sake! Zuko thought, moving towards the door and swiftly opening it. There were several Dai Li agents outside, each looking sombre.

"What?" Zuko asked. There was no time for pleasantries; he wanted to get back to sleep.

"Prince Zuko, we understand that Princess Azula was expecting you earlier."

Zuko shut his eyes and groaned. He had forgotten all about his "betraying" Azula.

"That's correct. I'm afraid I was unavailable to meet with my sister at that time. She'll probably be asleep now, so I'll just-" Zuko attempted to close the door, but was stopped.

"Princess Azula is awake and expecting you." Interrupted an agent at the front.

Damn. Well, it was worth a try, Zuko thought.

"Fine. Where is she?" He asked in resignation. There was now no way he was going back to sleep, so he may as well get this over with.

"She is in the throne room. We will escort you."

"Is Princess Azula aware that I can walk to the throne room by myself?" Zuko asked, remembering earlier when the same thing had happened.

"She made it clear that we were to escort you." An agent towards the back piped up.

Zuko shrugged and made a gesture for the agents to part, which they did.

It was only a short walk to where Azula was, and Zuko really didn't see the need to be babysat everywhere he went.

Azula's probably doing it to remind me who's really in charge here. Either that or she's doing it annoy me. Either way, it's working, Zuko thought, glancing either side of him, to the silent Dai Li agents.

They unnerved him, even though Zuko didn't want to admit it. When he and Azula were fighting the Avatar and the Water Tribe girl (Zuko didn't even want to say her name at this moment), Azula had summoned the Dai Li and they were there in a heartbeat. The appeared to be everywhere at once, a feat which both astounded and slightly annoyed Zuko.

When they had reached the splendid throne room door, Zuko pushed it open and entered. To his surprise, the agents followed him in. However, Zuko merely shrugged this off and began to walk to where Azula was regally sat. Regarding her coolly, he bowed his head in respect.

She stood up from her throne and embraced Zuko. Nonplussed, Zuko patted her back awkwardly.

Why is she doing this? Azula isn't into the touch-feely kind of love. Or any love at all for that matter, Zuko thought apprehensively.

"Play along" Azula whispered into Zuko's ear, before stepping back.

Zuko wasn't sure if this made him more or less worried. At least he knew why Azula was hugging him, but what would he have to play along to?

Looking behind him, Zuko noticed that the Dai Li agents that had escorted him to the throne room had been joined by a few others. There were now about twenty, each standing as if ready for action.

Zuko looked back to Azula, who was now standing on the platform to which her throne stood. Mai and Ty Lee were stood to the side, but slightly behind, her. Each had an evil look on her face,

"Azula, what's-"

"It has come to my attention," Azula interrupted in a voice that carried all the way across the room. "That there is a plot to overthrow me."

Don't the Dai Li agents learn? Zuko wondered in disbelief. Betraying Azula is probably the most stupid thing to do if you work for her.

"It seems that there truly is no one I can trust." Azula carried on. Zuko had to contain a smirk. Azula had never trusted anyone and never would.

"And had I not been told by my loyal agents, then I would never have known of Fire Prince Zuko's plot until it was too late." Azula said, fixing Zuko with a piercing look.

Wait. What?! Zuko wondered, his eyes going wide.

"Azula, I-"

"Don't deny it, Zuko. The Dai Li are loyal to me, not to you. You never should have told them of your plans."

Zuko simply stood there, mouth opening and closing as he tried to find something to say to these ridiculous accusations.

Meanwhile, Azula sighed dramatically.

"And now it's too late. It's a shame, really. We could have ruled the world together." She said, not sounding to upset about it. This was proved by her next words: "Oh well."

Azula nodded to the Dai Li agents, each of whom withdrew some rubble from the wall that had been damaged by the earthquake earlier. The agents bended the rubble so it hovered in front of them, effortlessly.

Zuko quickly glanced around him, then looked back to Azula, beginning to understand her plan.

"Zuko. I'm surprised you're not protecting yourself." Azula said, shooting him a look that clearly said "You idiot! Protect yourself!"

Now Zuko definitely knew what was going on. When Azula had told him to 'play along' before, she had a plan. This was slightly complicated, even for an Azula plan, but there you go. Fire Princesses could not afford to be simple.

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Zuko said, quickly readying himself in an attacking position. Not that he expected to be attacked…at least, not that badly.

Still, this doesn't mean I can't have a little fun first, Zuko thought, a smirk creeping onto his face. Noticing this, Azula sat down on her throne, satisfied with his reaction to her plan.

Shutting his eyes in a split-second of concentration, Zuko brought his hands together. He pressed his wrists together, before jerking them apart. The result was a glowing ball of fire in between Zuko's palms.

If you do this right then it'll be very impressive…so let's try to do it right for a change, okay? The familiar voice of his conscience said. For once, Zuko listened to the voice. He spread his arms out further, causing the ball to expand. Pushing his palms outwards, the fire followed, and the ball split and leapt in the surrounding Dai Li's direction. Several agents, the newer ones it seemed, yelped and sprang out of the way. However, the fearless ones merely awaited the fire's burn, rather facing that than the punishment for cowardice.

Gathering his energy for another move, Zuko inhaled. Focusing on manipulating the fire to his will, he felt the fire contort and twist into a long rope. Or, to be more precise, a whip. He had adapted the Water Tribe's move and suited it to fire, and he had to admit that it worked quite well.

Making a slashing movement towards the Dai Li agents closest to him, the whip followed and smacked them across the chest, causing them to fall to the floor. Zuko had made sure that his whip wasn't powerful enough to kill. He may be a lot of things, but he wasn't a killer.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough." Azula said, rising from her throne. "Dai Li, put the prince in the cell with the Waterbender. I'll arrange to talk to him later on."

Zuko understood Azula's order for him to stand down and allow himself to be captured. He still put up a fight, but didn't struggle too much when the stone handcuffs fastened firmly around his wrists. Looking swiftly back at Azula as the Dai Li agents led him away, he saw her smile and nod at him.

Well done. You managed to not completely mess up a plan for once, Zuko's conscience muttered. Knowing that this was probably as congratulatory as a figment of his imagination could get, Zuko felt pleased with himself.

Even being led down to the dark, dank dungeons could not dampen his spirits. Zuko didn't notice when the handcuffs dug into his wrists painfully, or when the occasional Dai Li agent shoved him roughly onwards. All that mattered was that Zuko was an integral part of a plan that would finally capture the Avatar.

All he needed to do was break the Water Tribe girl, which wouldn't be so hard.

She's just a girl. How hard can it be? Zuko thought confidently.

When the Dai Li pushed Zuko inside a cell that he didn't recognise, Zuko's confidence didn't waver. In fact, his mood increased when he saw that there were two (albeit, thin) mattresses on the dirty cell floor. He saw the girl had been dumped unceremoniously onto one of these mattresses. She appeared to be unconscious, which momentarily alarmed Zuko, before he remembered that he didn't care.

"Princess Azula will be along shortly." Said the new head of the Dai Li. Zuko ignored him still looking at his home for the next few days with slight disdain.

Well, what were you expecting? It is a dungeon after all, Zuko told himself.

The head agent told the other agents to leave and as they silently filed out he shouted one of them back.

"Cai!"

An agent that must have been only a couple of years older than Zuko turned around questioningly.

"Make sure the prisoners have enough food and water for the coming days. Check on them every so often if you must." The head agent ordered the boy, who nodded.

"Yes sir." The boy replied, before following the other agents out. As he reached the door, they agent swiftly turned back and shot Zuko a dirty look without the head agent noticing. Taken aback, Zuko returned the look, unsure of what he had done to warrant it in the first place. Still scowling, the boy walked out, leaving Zuko with the head agent and the unconscious Waterbender.

"What-"

"Princess Azula will be along shortly." The head agent interrupted.

"Yes. You said that already." Zuko snarled. He didn't like being interrupted by anyone.

"She will answer any questions you have." The head agent continued as if Zuko hadn't said anything.

I think my biggest question at the moment should by why the hell Azula made you the head of a secret organization. You're clearly an idiot, Zuko thought, hoping the man would go and Azula would arrive. However, since this man didn't seem to get the message, Zuko spoke up.

"You can go now." He said sharply to the agent.

"I think I'll stay a little-"

"It wasn't a request." Zuko snapped.

Sighing heavily, the head agent nodded and left, shutting and locking the metal door behind him.

He doesn't deserve to be head of the Dai Li if he follows the orders of a prisoner. Even if I'm not actually a prisoner, Zuko thought scornfully.

The only thing to do now was wait, either for Azula to come or for the girl to wake up.

"Either way I'm going to get some answers." Zuko muttered to himself, before leaning heavily on the cold, stone wall behind him.

A/N:

I am so sorry that I couldn't update sooner. We had a power cut last week, so that delayed this chapter some more. Also, sorry if there were mistakes in the last chapter, I've tried to be more careful this time.

Now that the apologies are out of the way…don't worry if you don't understand Azula's plan yet. I'm sure if I explained it very well. I'm writing the next chapter now, so all will become clear…

Thanks for your reviews, keep 'em coming!

(this is my longest chapter yet I think…yay me! lol)